"Draw a picture for me as a thank you gift for peeling your shrimp, okay?" Quan Jingwu shifted the subject and asked Jian Qing for a gift.
Jian Qing stared at him in surprise for a moment before saying, "Okay."
Accepting someone's kindness obligates you. A drawing is fine.
The meal, enriched by their back-and-forth banter, was less silent and more warm-hearted.
After dinner, Quan Jingwu insisted on cleaning up the dishes himself, leaving Jian Qing sitting in the living room, occasionally glancing towards the kitchen, and wondering if she would hear the sound of dishes breaking.
Miraculously, there was no noise at all. To her surprise, Quan Jingwu, whom she thought to be lofty and unapproachable, was now doing dishes in the kitchen.
Soon, the kitchen light dimmed, and Quan Jingwu walked out, his hands still wet. Jian Qing handed him a paper towel.